


if i fits, i escape

by TheCarrot



Series: Panther Poe [3]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Animal Transformation, Leia Finds Out, M/M, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Panther Poe, but nothing bad happens, the locals aren't very nice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:54:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26738458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCarrot/pseuds/TheCarrot
Summary: “Commander?” Leia raises an eyebrow at the two men but can only watch in surprise as her most trusted pilot strips off his shirt, and well, she may be old, but she’s not dead, and the sight is enough of a distraction for a moment that she barely registers it when Dameron disappears, only to be replaced by a large… black… cat. Huh.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn
Series: Panther Poe [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1850056
Comments: 12
Kudos: 42





	if i fits, i escape

**Author's Note:**

> The third instalment of Panther Poe!!! (posting more out of self preservation because if I pick at this any more I will literally scream Bloody Mary in my bathroom)

It’s a bad sign when a first meeting with an Outer Rim system that wishes to join the Resistance, goes a little _too_ smoothly and Leia feels every warning bell go off in her mind at how easy it seems to be. She sighs, shaking her head, wondering if she’s gotten too paranoid in her old age, but figures no, she hasn’t. Chalking it up instead to the better part of experience over valour, and tells her Commander to keep both eyes open with an unease settling around her shoulders.

Next to her, Poe gives his General a wry, reassuring grin from the pilot seat of the Falcon as they gently touch down on the last planet of their visiting spree. “That’s what we brought the baby Jedi’s for ma’am.”

“Don’t let Rey and Finn hear you call them that.” Leia rolls her eyes fondly, patting her pilot on his shoulder before heading into the back where Chewie and BB-8 have been locked into a Darjelak marathon since landing on the first planet of their treaty talks. Rey and Finn being a loyal audience during the many flights since.

“Alright boys and girl, last stop.” Leia chuckles, straightening the sleeve of her navy coloured dress as Poe joins them. 

“Keep your eyes and ears and force senses peeled people.” The pilot quips slinging an arm over Finn’s shoulders who levels him with an unimpressed look as Leia and Rey step down the ramp to greet the group awaiting their arrival. 

It’s only when they’re sitting down to the welcoming dinner (and that should have been an abundantly large warning sign to Leia right off the bat, one which she’ll gripe about afterwards to Ackbar) that things seem to finally start going wrong. 

Poe, who Finn had watched subtly flinch the moment they stepped off the Falcon, and who has been a little wary since then, frowns down into the goblet of bumbleberry wine- well, sort of wine anyway, whatever it is that passes as terrible alcohol on this planet- before him and inside of him, the panther’s nose twitches. 

And it’s not just from the awful scent of the bumbleberries.

It’s sweet. Sweet and cloying; almost acrid in the back of Poe’s throat and his hand is already moving to Finn’s knee before he even recognizes the scent of the drug laced into their wine. 

Finn feels the warning grip, with just a hint of more claw then normal, a sign for him to _pay attention_ and the ex-trooper is already turning to the General, stopping Leia from raising the metal goblet to her lips. She gives them a curious look but instead of explaining, as one both boys lean forward to look past their General to Rey, who is already holding her empty goblet and looking around for more. 

Rey feels the eyes on her and glances over to her companions, frowning, “What?” She manages to ask just as Finn shoots to his feet, readying for a fight-

But the whirr of blasters sounds around them and Poe sets his drink down, raising an eyebrow up at his boyfriend. “I win, you owe me twenty credits.”

Leia glares at them as they’re surrounded by the once friendly planet inhabitants. 

—

The cell they’re put in is pretty small by their normal cell standards, and it’s a comparison none of relish being able to make, but it has a bench along one wall for Leia to sit on, Rey’s head cushioned on her lap while the younger woman is being very, very, very… uncharacteristically giggly.

Poe smothers the urge to laugh at Rey as she pokes at the small rocks Leia is floating in the Force above them to distract her. He really wishes BB-8 was here to get footage of this.

“Well, at least it wasn’t poison.” Leia sighs balefully and Poe nods in agreement, not glancing away from Rey, watching her for another moment before he can’t help himself, reaching down to poke her in the nose. Because he can. Rey just makes an indignant squawk and blows a raspberry back at him before getting distracted by the floating rocks again. 

“Dameron.” Leia warns.

Poe crows in delight, ignoring Leia’s patented disapproving glare. “I like her like this.”

“When you’re done tormenting Rey, would you mind coming and helping me look for a way out of here.” Finn sighs from across the cell, despite the fact that they’ve both already scoured the entire tiny room and found nothing. 

Leia admires him for still looking regardless. At least someone was actually focused on their unlikely escape.

“Alright, alright, I’m coming.” Poe mutters with a final chuckle and goes to lean against the old fashioned metal bars of the cell door next to Finn who is blindly patting the lock on the other side. “I really need to stop leaving BB-8 on the Falcon, I don’t care if Chewie needs a good dejarlek partner or not, he could just blast this door open and we’d be home for lunch.” He grumbles. 

“And your comm?” Finn muses, despite already knowing the answer.

Poe shrugs, “On my blaster… that they took.”

“Right. So instead of that, I was thinking, I may not be small enough to fit through these bars…” Finn diverts his boyfriends attention back to the cell door, trying to wedge his shoulder through the gap once more as if to prove his point, but he’s stopped a few inches out. The muscles of his chest making him just a hairsbreadth too wide to fit through and Poe can’t help the salacious grin and eyebrow wiggle he gives Finn at the sight. Finn feels the heat crawl up the back of his neck at the look. “Please focus.” 

“Sorry,” says Poe, before adding in a bit more mournful tone, “Rey would’ve fit.” 

They both glance back the girl who has moved on to twisting one of Leia’s braid around her hand. 

In true Leia style, she appears mostly unfazed by it. 

“True…but still not what I was thinking.” Finn gives him a flat look he’s clearly learnt from watching the General’s face when she’s had to deal with a stubborn Poe Dameron, and smacks him in the arm and in a low voice hisses. “ _You’d fit._ ”

Poe frowns and copies Finn’s movement, trying to shove himself through the cell bars but only gets a little bit further than Finn’s more muscular frame. “Uh, I hate to break it to you buddy,” He says with a wry grin. 

But Finn is already shaking his head again and mimes a little clawing motion with his hand. His boyfriend just keeps staring at him in confusion however and Finn has to roll his eyes. “Poe… not you like you are now… but you know, other you.”

It seems to take another moment for Finn’s meaning to sink in, but when it does Poe flinches back away from his lover with hurt filled eyes. 

“No.” Poe shakes his head, dropping his voice to a rushed whisper. “No, Finn. I’m- I mean…” he casts a quick glance to Leia and Rey before looking back to the man before him. “I can’t.” 

Finn smiles reassuringly, reaching for his boyfriends hands, lacing their fingers together and trying to pass on as much comfort as he can through the small touch. “Yes you can, Poe… this may be our only chance to get out of here.” 

“But, the General-“

“She’ll understand.” Finn uses the grip on Poe’s hands to draw him forward into a quick kiss. Something they don’t normally do in front of other people and Poe sinks into it easily. “Just like I did.” 

Another kiss and Poe hates that he feels like agreeing to anything when Finn does that.

But even as they part Poe can’t help the wave of anxiety crawling up from his stomach to his throat. Feels it tighten there, feels his heart start beating faster and faster as he once more risks a quick glance to Leia, who is quietly watching them out of the corner of her eye while still managing to keep a hold of Rey. 

It’s worse than taking on impossible odds in his X-wing, Poe thinks, at least then all he has to worry about is dying. Poe takes a deep breath, adrenaline already kicking up it’s heels as deep inside, a flash of yellow eyes and a lithe form shift, ready to burst forward. This feels infinitely more terrifying than any maneuver he’s ever flown. Finn was one thing, but this… this is his General. This is his leader. The brave, strong, loyal woman he’s chosen to throw his life in with; even unto death or defeat. If she’s disgusted by his other form, Poe’s not sure what he’s going to do. 

Something rash and stupid; he knows that much, and-

“Hey.” 

It’s like being knocked back off the ledge of ‘what if’s and fear and Poe tears himself away from the unhelpful introspection and instead looks up into those endless, unfathomly, beautiful eyes. Every inch of Finn’s face is soft, despite everything in his life, everything and more than anyone should have to deal with, Finn can still look at someone like Poe and smile so tenderly that Poe’s breath goes short for an entirely different reason. And that’s all it takes. One word from Finn, a look and a promise in dark eyes and Poe’s made up his mind.

Because that promise says that even if General Leia Organa, leader of the the Resistance and everything Poe has stood for, ends up despising him, hating him, fearing him and his other form… Poe will have Finn.

“Kriffing hell babe.” Poe sighs wetly and drags Finn into a searing kiss and Finn can taste the tang of desperation to it; but before Finn can call him on it, Poe is pulling away and with shaking fingers, starts undoing the laces on the clasp of his jacket. 

“Commander?” Leia raises an eyebrow at the two men but can only watch in surprise as her most trusted pilot strips off his shirt, and well, she may be old, but she’s not dead, and the sight is enough of a distraction for a moment that she barely registers it when Dameron disappears, only to be replaced by a large… black… cat. Huh.

Poe does not turn to look at his General, just the thought of the expression on her face that bit too much for his nerves, so instead he nudges against Finn’s legs and slinks through the bars of their cell without pause. His nose zeros in on the sole guard by the door and the scent of their belongings in the next room. 

Finn does not turn to see the Generals expression either, just presses his forehead to the metal bars and tries to follow his boyfriends form as the panther disappears into the darkness. 

“Amazing… and I thought Commander Dameron couldn’t be more like his mother.” 

Finn does turn then, surprise colouring his features, but the surprise turns to a relief so strong he feels weak with it, when he sees the look of open amusement on Leia’s face, framed by that familiar twinkle in her eye that says so quietly that she adores her ridiculous Commander. 

“The dramatics is all Kes I’m afraid.” She adds as a cut off yelp echos down to their cell. Leia nods and slowly gets to her feet, helping Rey sit up straight as the sound of heavy keys start to jingle back down the hallway. 

It seems to have taken Poe no time at all to subdue the guard and get the keys, and Finn’s heart stops beating so frantically in worry when the Panther trots back down the hallway with a ring of keys hanging from his mouth and their hostlers slung around his neck.

Poe slips through the cell bars, dropping the keys into Finns hands, only to slip back out and wait by the door, as if waiting to be let in, much like any cat is want to do.

“You could help with this you know.” Finn mutters as he starts to feel around the lock for the keyhole.

The panther gives him a droll look, saying how clearly Poe does not relish the idea of turning back into his naked human form in front of his commanding officer. 

There are some lines a man needs to keep. (And some fantasies Finn doesn’t need to know about.)

With a shout of triumph Finn finally gets the door unlocked, swinging it open with a grin, and his voice is enough to draw a very glassy eyed Reys’ attention.

Poe’s barely taken a step back into the cell to greet Finn when he hears Rey gasp. His ears perk up and his tail freezes, ready to react to danger, but instead, Rey’s eyes light up in a childlike wonder neither he nor Finn haven’t seen on her face since the sweetapple debacle.

“KITTY!” Rey shrieks happily, throwing herself away from the bench and the rocks and Poe tries to scramble away, but before he can get too far, the younger Jedi is wrapping her arms around the panthers neck with a cheer. 

Finn barely keeps himself from falling over in laughter, only managing to refrain when Leia lays a hand on his arm to draw his attention away from the grin splitting his face, to see her with her arms full of Poe’s clothes and mirth tugging at her own lips at the sight before them. 

Poe, who is doing his best to pull backwards away from the drugged Jedi, but Rey’s grip doesn’t falter and the cat yowls mournfully, turning to stare up at his boyfriend and General with wide golden yellow eyes, pleading for help and Finn is helpless to not give in to the laughter. 

“Perhaps this is for the best. It may be safest if the Commander goes on ahead with Rey, and we can catch up to them on the Falcon?” Leia offers instead, trying her best not to pinpoint the similarities between Poe’s sulking face in this form and his human one. 

Poe rumbles displeased under his breath, but Finn nods, leaning down to pet his boyfriend on the head and give him a quick kiss on the nose before he untangles their holsters from Poe’s neck, adjusting Rey as well, who seems perfectly content to drape herself over Poe’s back with a hum.

“You good?” Finn asks glancing down at Poe, who nods and then they turn to the General as they exit, watching Leia close the cell door behind them. 

She smiles at their curious glances. “They never check the actual prisoners half the time, just make sure the doors locked. Should give us some more time for our heroic escape.” The General explains and Finn files it away for future reference. Who knows when that kind of information can come in handy.

“We’ll see you soon okay?” The ex-trooper mummers. “Get Rey to safety. We’ll be right behind you.”

Reluctantly Poe takes off with Rey on his back, only glancing back once to make sure he’s leaving a clear enough trail for Finn and Leia as as he makes his way back to the Falcon without running into any trouble.

He makes it up the ramp with Rey still attached to him and Poe huffs as both BB-8 and Chewie glance over towards him.

BB-8 starts screeching madly at the sight of him, worry and fear sounding out loud in a whirlwind of beeps and whirls as he rolls back and forth in agitation. 

Poe however just puts a large paw on his droid, keeping it from it’s distractive rolling and shuffles around in an attempt to try and slide Rey off his back. 

Only, Rey doesn’t let go. She’s too busy rubbing her face into the coarse fur on the back of his neck and making happy noises when she occasionally gets a hold of his ears. He lifts the paw off his droid, moving it around to instead press on Rey’s head, doing his best to push her away without hurting her, but Rey just squeals in delight, yells something about ‘beans’ that Poe misses as he tries a bit harder to escape.

He wants to go back and look for Finn and Leia, but Chewie just warbles out an exasperated sigh before grabbing his bow castor and ambling out the way Poe had come in. Poe watches the Wookie disappear and sits back on his haunches, comforted at least, knowing that Chewie will look after the others, and can only let Rey do as she wishes. 

Girls got a strong grip when she wants too, Poe notes as Rey tugs him down onto the floor.

—

Finally Leia and Finn arrive back at the Falcon with Chewbacca leading the way and Poe’s ears perk up at the sound of their footsteps coming up the ramp. 

“Poe! Rey!” Finn calls out as they enter the hold, only he pauses when he’s met by a very indignant looking panther getting gentle belly rubs from a sleepy looking Rey. The younger man snorts under his breath and greets BB-8 as he kneels down next to his friend and lover. “Glad you made it back sweetheart.” Finn reaches out to run a hand over Poe’s ears, and then up again to cup Rey’s cheek, and with a soft touch, makes sure they’re both still okay. The knot of fear the ex-trooper had had since watching the panther disappear ahead of them finally disappearing. 

Chewie barks out a disgruntled noise and heads towards the cockpit, ready to get them in the air after hearing Leia speak of the trouble they had encountered. 

“I’m going to go make sure he doesn’t need any help.” Says Finn, getting to his feet. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Poe watches him go, ears falling back and golden eyes wary, as he finally manages to extract himself from Rey’s lax hold, sitting up to peer over towards Leia who is still holding onto his folded clothes. 

The General smiles at him, watches the way Rey is curling around Poe as she slips into sleep. She feels the Falcon slowly lift off and Leia moves to settle onto the bench seat next to where Rey and Poe are on the floor. 

As carefully and as unthreatening as he can, Poe moves to sit in front of Leia, careful nudging his General’s knee with his nose; and in turn, Leia reaches out, setting a weathered hand on soft fur, and smiles widely. “Oh Poe.”

Finn interrupts them not a moment later and Poe scurries back, leaps over the sleeping Rey to sit by the bulkhead leading towards the quarters with a pointed look to his boyfriend. Dark eyes roll towards the ceiling and Finn motions for the clothes Leia is still holding. “I’ll take those ma’am, if you don’t mind.” 

With a chuckle Leia hands over the folded shirt, pants and shoes and waves the younger man away. “Yes, I suppose Commander Dameron wouldn’t do well to wander around with no clothes on, at least not while Luietenant Pava isn’t here to judge him for it.” 

The panther makes an indignant sound, but Poe supposes Leia is correct, and he lets his imagination run to his friends reaction instead of the barely buoyed panic of being in his other form before Leia.

He manages to off-stay said panic, at least until Finn slides the door to the bunks closed behind him and Poe is human before Finn can look down at him. The pilot is crowding into Finn’s space in the next moment, pushing his clothes out of dark fingers to make more room for himself and Poe does his best to start breathing normally again; does his best to stop shaking like a leaf in a monsoon.

Finn clutches Poe to his chest, shushes him low and reverent, attempting to calm him and mutters comforting words that are nothing more than different variations of how Leia didn’t seem to have a problem with the Panther, and that Rey looked like she absolutely adored him.

“She’s drugged out of her mind.” Poe hiccups into Finn’s neck, arms as tight as ever around his lovers shoulders and Finn’s heart breaks all over again at the idea of his boyfriend being so fearful of his other form that he’d think those closest to him would hate him for it.

—

It takes several minutes for Poe to calm down enough to get changed, and it’s only when Poe sits down on the bunk to pull on his boots that Finn leans over once more, presses a reassurance without words into the worried dip between brown eyes. 

Poe huffs up at him, but theres silent thanks in his gaze that takes Finns breath away; makes him clasp Poe’s hand in his as they head out, back down the hallway towards the main hold. 

Leia looks up at them when they enter, smile tired but true, but Poe ducks his head, avoiding her gaze. He squeezes Finn’s hand tightly before letting it so and all but fleeing towards the cockpit. 

The General watches her pilot go with a raised eyebrow, turning away from his departing figure to look over at Finn who is reaching down to scoop Rey up into his arms, despoiling her on the bench seat next to Leia. “Was it something I said?” She poses.

Dark eyes roll towards the ceiling for a moment, and Finn looks at Leia with an expression she is all to used to wearing herself. Fondness and exasperation all rolled up into one. “It’s nothing personal ma’am, he just, doesn’t transform in front of… anybody really.” Finn sighs, voice morose, like he’s tried and failed to convince Poe that it would be okay to do so. “He’s um, a little worried about how you’ll think of him now.”

“Think of him…” Leia blinks at the ex-trooper before a chuckle works it way out from under her breath. She rolls her own eyes then, shifting to get to her feet with a mutter. “Pilots.” 

With a pat to Finn’s shoulder, Leia presses a kiss to the younger mans brow and heads off towards the cockpit and her wayward Commander. “You’ve the patience beyond any Jedi, Finn.” 

Finns bark of laughter follows her down the hallway.

It’s easy enough to approach the cockpit quietly, Leia is well aware of where all the loose panels are and she catches Chewies attention, silently asking for some space. She notes the Wookies resistance with pride, so happy to see how protective Han’s best friend has gotten; not only of Rey, but also of Finn and Poe as well. But Chewie does leave, and Poe doesn’t look up BB-8 who is nestled between his knees when Leia lets herself sink into the co-piliots chair. 

“You’ve never asked your father about this have you?” She states it as a question, but it’s not. Leia knows her pilot, and knows many of the secrets he has tried to keep in regards to his family.

Poe’s head shoots up from his droid to look at her and Leia see’s the wariness there, sees it double when she mentions his father. “What?”

Leia smirks, checks for Chewie in the hallway and when she doesn’t see him, puts her feet up on the dash in a way Han used to and leans back in her seat to in a posture so relaxed it throws Poe for a moment. 

“You know you’re so much like your mother.” She sighs, and in a moment, she feels older than she should. Weary with the weight of those she loved and lost. “And I don’t mean just the piloting Poe.”

Shara’s eyes look at her, set in Poe’s face and that old familiar wisdom and gravity sounds out from dark brown depths. “What?”

“The Spirit.” Leia motions to all of Poe and a little of her smile comes back at his confusion. “You think you got the panther by accident? I know Shara Bey never got the chance to bring up many things with you, but I never expected this to be one of them.”

Poe feels like he’s gotten hit with a blaster right in the chest. 

“I haven’t seen that form since I few with your mother.”

Words trip on his tongue, his brain a jumble of thoughts and Poe sits gobsmacked as the lights of hyperspace past them by. He can’t help but stare at his General, at his leader… at the person finally giving him an answer to a question he had long ago given up asking the galaxy. “Y-you… My m-mom?”

Leia just give him a look so full of love, Poe’s heart almost hurts with it and he’s reminded so much of the look Finn gives him on he daily. The same emotion, just entirely different. “Yes, your mother Dameron.” She levers herself to her feet once again, eyes kind as she pats BB-8 on it’s dome and then dares to ruffle the soft brown curls atop his head. “I’m afraid I don’t have any more answers than that.”

She copies the motions she did to Finn not long ago in the hold, lips pressed like a benediticion to the top of Poes head before Leia turns away. “May the Force be with you Poe Dameron. Each and every one of you.”

Poe’s suddenly shooting upwards, shuffling his feet awkwardly, not unlike a small child he once was in front of a princess asking her to come see his model A-wing. “Y-You really… don’t mind then? I-it’s not…” his voice cracks. “Bad?”

Leia sighs heavily and her smile is half exasperated fondness but full of love, “Commander…. “ She pauses. “ Poe, you truly never cease to amaze me.” 

He’s rushing forward then and Leia is already ready for it, and Poe’s hug is searching for everything Leia can give him; warmth and love and acceptance. Poe wonders if this is what it’s like to hug a mother after a bad dream. He can’t remember.

Leia wonders if the feeling of strong arms and searching is how a son’s hug should feel. 

But Leia is not his mother…

And Poe is not her son….

But in that moment, it doesn’t matter. They love each other like so, and worry has no place in either of them for a few moments, alone in the cockpit of Millennium Falcon.

-

Rey wakes up in the med-bay after they make it back to base. She takes one look at Poe and Finn sitting at her beside and frowns deeply at her fellow pilot, and Poe readies himself for the accusations. 

Rey just glares at him and points to the floor. “Turn back, now. I like you better the other way.”

Poe just laughs himself out of his chair, Finn pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation at his boyfriend and best friend as Kalonia marches over to kick the two of them out.

“Told you.” Finn muses with smile full of laughter as he and Poe leave Medical.

“Yeah,” Poe sighs happily, pressing a kiss to the corner of Finn’s mouth and brimming with a lightness he hasn’t felt in ages. “Yeah you did.”


End file.
